Exercising apparatus.



R. J. KIDENEY.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-16.1913.

1,179,436. V Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. 15 71 Ilia $25 1% Inventor:

4 WUCJW Robert JJfi'den/e y,

R. J. KIDENEY.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I6; 1913.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. KIDENEY, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

Application filedflctober 16, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. KIDENEY, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Buffalo, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exercising Apparatuaof which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for enabling the user to obtain physical exercise and at the same time a treatment akin to massage, the latter action or treatment resulting from the exercise performed by the user of the apparatus.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying draWings-'Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing an added feature; Fig. 3 an end elevation, and Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of the apparatus capable of being set or tilted into difierent inclinations; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus in use; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing an added feature.

Theapparatus comprises a frame work 1, which may belof any suitable form, supporting a series of rollers 2, arranged with their axes parallel and located side by side, the rollers being so placed that they form asupport for the body of the user, which support is of trough-like form due to the axes of the rollers being located in different horizontal planes. As shown in Fig. 3, a line drawn through the axes .of the rollers would be a curved line, and as above stated, by this relation of the rollers a platform or support for the body is afforded of substantially curved form transversely, the central roller being the lowermost one, and those located on each side .of the .central roller being arranged successively in higher planes. The rollers-are located close together preferably, though .I do not limit myself to the distance that they are spaced apart. Each roller is adapted *to turn on its axis, for which purpose its journals find bearings in curved braces 3,.at the ends of and forming parts of the main supporting frame. The main supporting frame also comprises a base 4 and upstanding sides 5 as shown in :Fig. 3. To the base .of the apparatus a support 6 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Serial No. 795,602.

is attached adjustable in any suitable manner, this support comprising side bars having upturned rear ends at 7, connected by a cross piece 8, this support being preferably formed in one piece, though of course I do not limit myself in this respect. To the cross piece 8 .is pivotally mounted a foot plate or rest 9, having straps 10 to receive the feet, and having supports 11 against which the :heels of .the user may rest. This support or foot rest is so related, in position, to the rollers .2 that when the user is lying in the troughlike structure or platform provided by the series of rollers he can slip his feet into the straps l0 and rest his heels upon the supports 11.

At the head of the apparatus a hand-hold is provided, and while this may be of various forms and of various constructions, I have shown in the particular form employed to illustrate my invention, a hand-hold of ring shape, as shown at 12. This may be mounted in fixed relation .to the apparatus or it may be mounted .to turn. In the particular construction shown it is held by supporting means consisting of a rod of generally U-shape the sides 13 of which are adjustable or slidably connected with the base at 14, the sides 13 having upwardly extending portions 14' with a cross bar 15, to which the hand-hold 12 is connected.

In exercising with the apparatus the user lies upon the trough shaped platform provided by the curved series of rollers with his feet attached, as described, to the foot rest or plate 9, and with his arms extended above his head and grasping the hand-hold 12. The user, by grasping the hand-hold at proper points, can turn himself bodily in the trough shaped platform and can perform a partial or complete revolution, or series of revolutions, he, of course, changing his hand-hold on the ring 12 to get the necessary purchase or leverage in rolling himself in the trough, and during this rolling movement the foot rest 9 willturn freely with the user .or exerciser. Not only will physical exercise be afforded the user by the operation just described, under conditions for proper development of his chest, shoulders and arms, but all portions of his body will be subjected to more or less muscular effort, and 'in addition ftO this the rollers will perform a massagelike action on the body and limbs of the user. The rollers, turning on their axes, will aid the exerciser in securing the rolling or turning motion of the body and at the same time will give the massage eflect.

While I have shown a series of parallel rollers as the means for providing the troughlike platform or support, other means may be employed for a like purpose without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The rollers may be of any suitable material and may be covered, if desired, with material to make a comfortable support for the body while yet adapted to give the rubbing, rolling or massage treatment.

The apparatus may be used either in a horizontal position or, as shown at Fig. 4, it may be used at difierent inclinations, and by inclining the apparatus to a sharp angle the effort required on the part of the user to roll or turn himself in the troughlike support may be reduced and thus by adjusting the apparatus to different degrees of inclination the effort necessary to be expended in turning the body may be increased or diminished to suit the physical requirements or capacity of the exerciser.

As indicated in Fig. 6 the trough like platform may have a hollow revolving barrel-like member 16 resting thereon to receive the body of the exerciser. This revoluble member may be variously constructed. In this particular form selected to illustrate this part of my invention it may be formed of staves like a barrel suitably secured together. Its effect is to provide a protecting sheath for the body of the user which, however, will not entirely eliminate the massage effect of the rollers for this sheath or revoluble member by shifting its position in relation to the rollers, which it is bound to do in some degree, due to the irregular movement of the users body, will rise and fall on the rollers and give the massage effect though in a reduced degree. The sheath in other words will soften the effect of the rollers on the body.

As shown at 13 in Fig. 2, I may provide means for suspending the upper part of the body in relation to the trough like platform. This consists of a band 14* extending over a sheave or pulley 15 which is revolubly mounted on a standard 16. The trough like platform in this form of my invention is of a length adapted to receive and support the body from the region of the waist down and the object of the suspension band is to support that portion of the body which extends beyond the trough namely the breast. This is desirable for women who when exercising with arms extended above the head will be properly supported without contact of the breast with the trough like support,

the band being in proper position to contact with the body at the breast.

It will be understood that both the sheath and the suspension band may be embodied in one and the same apparatus and used conjointly though for convenience I have shown these features in separate views.

I claim as my invention:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising a swiveled foot rest, a hand hold and a platform for sustaining the body of the user, said foot rest and said hand-hold being at opposite ends of said platform, substantially as described.

2. An exercising apparatus comprising a trough-like platform for sustaining the body of the user, a swiveled foot rest at one end of the platform, and a hand hold at the other end of the platform, substantially as described.

3. In an exercising apparatus, a troughlike support for the body, and a ring shaped hand hold above the head of the user, substantially as described.

4. In an exercising apparatus, a support for the body comprising parallel rollers and a hand hold at one end of the rollers, above the head of the user to enable the user to be turned on the rollers, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a troughlike support for the body consisting of a system of parallel rollers, each movable on its own axis, a hand hold at one end of said rollers, and a foot rest at the other end of said rollers, substantially as described.

6. In combination a platform to receive the body of the user to roll thereon, a hand hold at one end of said platform, and a foot rest swiveled at or near the other end of the platform, and means for adjusting the platform to different inclinations, substantially as described.

7. In an exercising apparatus the combination with a trough like platform, of a revolvable sheath to turn thereon to receive the body of the exerciser and a suitable hold for the extremities, whereby the user may turn the sheath on said platform, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a trough like platform, a hand hold above the exercisers head and a suspension means to engage the upper part of the body of the user lying beyond the trough like platform, substantially as paratus, a trough-like support for the body,

having movement to accord With the movement of the body, and a foot rest, substantially as described.

11. In combination in an exercising apmovements of the user, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

ROBERT J. KIDENEY. Witnesses:

SYLvANUs B. NYE, THOMAS W. LEAR.

an independent support at the end of said trough-like support, and a foot rest, said supports being movable to accord With the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

